Happy Valley Top Picks

Are you looking for some great events in Happy Valley after spring break?  Penn State is never without great activities for you to attend.   Keep reading this blog to make your plans for the next few weeks.   You can learn more at Happy Valley.

“Meet Me at the Corner. I’m Coming Home to Happy Valley.”

Happy Valley is just too hard to quit for some folks. This townie and Penn State grad explains why she’s moving from sunny Florida to return to the bucolic setting of State College. Read the article here. Have you ever found yourself longing to move back? Have you returned? Share your story by sending a message to us on Facebook!

Happy Valley’s Got Talent 2014

March 29, The State Theatre
Kid’s Choice Matinee: 2pm
Judged Evening Performance: 7pm
The 4th Annual Happy Valley’s Got Talent Show returns this Saturday to the State Theatre. Support the Tides Program by enjoying a talent show featuring a cross-section of central Pennsylvania performers in competition in three age groups. Get tickets 

Memphis: The Musical

Thursday, 7:30 pm
Eisenhower Auditorium
Featuring explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a tale of forbidden love and emotion, Memphis is one of the hottest new Broadway musicals. Get tickets

Next Week at the Center for the Performing Arts

Cantus: A Place for Us
April 1, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center
Known worldwide for its “trademark warmth” and engaging performances, Cantus has been described as “the premier men’s vocal ensemble in the United States.”
Get tickets


The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra
featuring New York Voices
April 3, Eisenhower Auditorium
Jazz fans, this is a show you can’t miss! The Count Basie Orchestra returns to State College for the first time since 2007. 
Get tickets 

End-of-March Blues & Jazz Fest
at The Gamble Mill

Not only is the Gamble Mill a great stop for local food with a unique but laidback menu, it is quickly becoming one of the top venues for local music. This weekend, the Gamble Mill is hosting national and regional blues and jazz acts, so it’s a great time to stop in. Read more about why a visit to the Gamble Mill needs to be on your agenda. 

Blue-White Weekend is a Rite of Spring

The first Blue-White game in the James Franklin era is quickly approaching. This weekend is always one of the best times of the year to visit Happy Valley. Read moreabout why you absolutely need to visit Happy Valley from April 11-13.

Black Thumb or Green Thumb

Do you have more of a black thumb than a green thumb?  Everyone can have plants in their apartment.  Here are five great plants that are very hard to kill.  They will be beautiful in your apartment this spring.  You can learn more atapartment therapy.

1. Snake plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata)
This is my favorite pick for the darker corners of my own apartment. It has a sculptural appearance, adds a bit of green, and seems to thrive on neglect.

2. Spider plant (Chlorophytum Comosum)
A popular houseplant when I was growing up, these interesting plants self propagate by sending out off-shoots, do well when their roots are crowded, and can thrive in low light conditions.

3. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
A hardy plant that can tolerate both low light and watering neglect, the ZZ plant is great for those with a less than green thumb.

4. Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana)
Adaptable bamboo is a great fit for dim rooms, and is inexpensive and easy to come across.

5. Peace Lilly (Spathiphyllum Wallisii)
Known as a great plant for improving indoor air quality, the Peace Lilly is also one of the few low-light friendly options that produces flowers.

Study Tips

Whether you just finished midterms or you still have a few tests to go,  these tips can help you study!  Check out these great study tips for your big tests from cengagebrain.  We know you will ace your big tests, and you will have a great break ahead of you!

1. Skim: On midterm eve, you may be tempted to open up your chemistry book and read every word of chapters 1-55 (each chapter being approximately 35 pages). Don’t! This is a waste of time. Instead, focus on chapter headings, footnotes, the course syllabus (the subjects listed on here are probably the ones the professor deems most important), study questions, and chapter reviews.
2. Don’t cram: On this same note, don’t wait until the night before your exam to begin studying for it. Instead, begin preparing now! A September 6, 2012 article titled “Prepare Not For College Midterm Exams,” posted on SayCampusLife by Matthew C. Keegan offers some great tips on time management so you can get a head start on your upcoming midterms. Setting aside study time, reviewing notes from class, and planning early will help you feel prepared, says Keegan.
3. Attend review sessions, study groups: You may be tempted to skip out on that review session or study group being held by your TA, but this could be a huge mistake. Most of the time, these study sessions cover the main exam topics, and TAs usually let more than a few exam questions slip during these meetings.
4. Enjoy the silence: If you aren’t attending a study session, find a quiet place where you can stay focused and uninterrupted — the library, an empty classroom, the park. Your dorm room may seem like the most obvious place, but have a plan B ready for when the distractions hit (and they will).
5. Disconnect: Facebook, Pintrest, Twitter, and email are all unnecessary distractions, so while studying, disconnect for an hour or so. You may be surprised at how much you can accomplish when technology doesn’t get in the way.
6. Figure out what will be on the exam: No, this doesn’t require any mind reading abilities, but it does require you to listen and pay close attention to your professor. A 2010 post by Jeremy S. Hyman and Lynn F. Jacobs for the U.S. News & World Report titled “8 Clues to Figuring Out That College Midterm” offers up ideas such as using old exams to study and giving that review sheet another glance.
7. Meet with your professor: Stop by office hours to discuss difficult concepts, ask questions about lecture material, or just to find out what types of topics the midterm will cover. You may be surprised at how much your professor is willing to share.
8. Stay healthy: During midterms, it’s easy to overindulge on junk food, up your caffeine intake, and basically suspend all personal hygiene (you won’t be interacting with anyone anyway) — never mind the fact that you have no time to make it to the gym. Don’t fall into this rut. Instead, schedule time for healthy meals and regular exercise, and don’t forget about that shower! You may just find that these breaks help you stay focused.
9. Take breaks: Consequently, a 12-hour marathon study session won’t do anything but make you crazy. Instead, take short breaks every hour or so, even if only for 10 minutes. Leave your study area when you do — that bit of fresh air may be just what you needed to clear your head.
10. Relaxation, preparation, and time management: It’s finally here! Midterm day! Don’t let all of your hard work go to waste. Instead, check out CollegeAtlas’ post titled “Test Taking Strategies for College Midterms and Finals” (i.e. using the restroom before the exam begins and not spending too much time on a difficult question) to help ensure that you go into your midterm stress free and ready to ace that exam!